Congratulations to Dr Sarah Tashjian, recipient of the 2025 BBRF Young Investigator Grant!

A big congratulations to Dr Sarah Tashjian, who has been awarded a 2025 Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation (BBRF) Young Investigator Grant!

This grant supports promising early-career scientists pursuing innovative ideas in mental health research. Sarah's two-year project will begin in January 2026, and we're thrilled to see her work recognised and funded by one of the leading organisations in the field.

Sarah's work will help to uncover the neural substrates of avoidance and exploration in adolescence.

Exploring novel environments is key for adolescent learning, but at the same time anxiety about possible negative consequences can prevent exploration. Sarah's work seeks to understand how the complex interplay in reward seeking and threat avoidance manifest in the brain to support adaptive behavior during this critical period of development.

We're excited to see what you do Sarah!